Mirissa, Sri Lanka

Continuing on our journey, we made our way to the heart of Mirissa to grab a bite to eat and explore potential accommodation options.

However, after checking out several hotels and finding them either overpriced or not up to our standards, we finally settled on the Randiya Sea View Hotel. Although it was a beachfront hotel, it was nothing particularly extraordinary, but still a decent option for our stay.

We had a simple agenda for our time in Mirissa – soak up the sun and savour the sea breeze on the beach.

But, fortune didn’t seem to be on our side.

Out of all the days we spent in Sri Lanka, why did the wind pick up and the clouds start gathering just when we wanted to unwind by the seaside? When we first attempted to enjoy the beach, the wind was so strong that waves were crashing onto the shore with fierce intensity, making it nearly impossible to find a tranquil spot to sit and relax.

Gloomy skies… It was so windy that we can’t take a decent photo.

Originally, we intended to stay for just one night in Mirissa before heading back to Colombo for our flight.

That same night, we were hit with the alarming news that the protests had taken over Colombo, demanding the resignation of the leader. Reports were coming in from all over the country, detailing violent clashes between the protesters and the authorities. The situation had spiralled out of control with reports of protesters setting the president’s vehicles on fire and even invading their residence.

In light of the ongoing protests, we made a tough decision to extend our stay in Mirissa instead of transferring to Colombo the next day to visit the Red Mosque and try out our most anticipated Ministry of Crab experience as originally planned.

We didn’t want to risk being caught up in any trouble or being stranded in Colombo, potentially causing us to miss our flight back to Singapore.

As we had only booked one night at Randiya Sea View, we set out to find a more suitable hotel where we could enjoy the amenities and hopefully catch some sun on the beach, all while hoping for better weather.

After checking out of Randiya, we continued our road trip down Mirissa and stumbled upon Insight Resort. Although it was an older hotel, we found it suitable to use their restaurant to relax and enjoy some drinks, although the weather was still not in a good mood.

We spent the entire afternoon indulging in our guilty pleasure of reflecting on all the good and bad things we’ve gone through together – you know, just talking about life like we usually do. Don’t worry, I won’t bore you with the details of our mushy moments.

It was such a bummer, not only did we miss out on the beach and swimming with sea turtles, but the whole country was in chaos.

Our driver Jack was feeling down too, so he suggested we make one last stop before heading to the airport. He took us to a sea turtle hatchery, and it turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip! It was like a “one for the road” happy moment before leaving Sri Lanka. We just paid a small entrance fee and had a blast.

And with heavy hearts, we said our goodbyes to Sri Lanka! Our trip had been full of ups and downs, but we were grateful that we took this adventure. Despite the challenges we faced, we still managed to create unforgettable memories that we will cherish for a lifetime.

Saying goodbye to Jack, our trusted driver and newfound friend was bittersweet, but we knew that we would always treasure the time we spent together. As we boarded our flight back to Singapore, we were already dreaming of the next adventure we would embark on.